Brazil, PSG soccer star Neymar: 'I'm accused of rape'

Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar Jr. was stripped of his Brazilian captain's role in May, before rape allegations were made public. Photo by Yoan Valat/EPA-EFE

June 3 (UPI) -- Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr. posted a video over the weekend on social media, telling his fans that he has been "accused of rape" and denying the allegation.

The 27-year-old Paris Saint-Germain striker posted videos on his Instagram and Facebook accounts. Neymar was accused of rape by a woman in Sao Paulo, Brazil. She said the incident occurred on May 15 in a Paris hotel room, according to a police document obtained Saturday by the New York Times and ESPN Brazil.

The video also featured the soccer star scrolling through the messaging app WhatsApp, showing a conversation he allegedly had with the woman making the accusations. The communication included photographs and dated back to May, ending the day after the alleged assault.

The woman said Neymar paid her to fly from Brazil to Paris before the soccer star attacked her, according to the police report.

"I'm accused of rape," Neymar said in his video. "It's a 'heavy' word. It is something very strong, but that's what's happening now. I was caught by surprise. It was very bad and very sad to listen to that, because anyone who knows me, knows of my behavior, knows that I would never do something like that."

"What happened is exactly the opposite of what they are saying. I'm very upset right now but from now on, I will publish everything ... all the conversations I had with the woman, all our moments -- that is something intimate, but it's necessary to publish to prove that it's really nothing important."

"I will show you all the messages. Everything that happened that day and the day after. Because what happened that day was a relationship between a man and a woman, inside four walls, something that happens with any couple. The next morning nothing important happened. We kept exchanging messages. She asked me for a souvenir for her son and I was going to take it, but now, I'm caught by surprise with all that."

"The Office for the Investigation of Cyber Crimes (DRCI) will investigate the alleged video disclosure by the player Neymar," the Civil Police said. "The 110th precinct has already taken steps to assist in this investigation."

Neymar was stripped of his Brazil captain's role in May, before the allegation was disclosed. He was replaced by PSG teammate Dani Alves, who will wear the captain's band at Copa America. Brazil battles Qatar at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday in a friendly in Brasilia, Brazil.